On the Path

Public Interest Scholars community,

The October issue of On the Path celebrates the work of our students and alums with unshakable commitment to making change and helping clients. Read on to learn about a 2L scholar's exploration of public defense work in the Bay Area, an alumni's dedication to reproductive justice, and other happenings.

With gratitude,

Amanda Prasuhn

Director of Public Interest Financial Support

Berkeley Law

Around the law school

October is a busy month at Berkeley Law. Around the halls, we saw the Public Interest Scholars studying for midterms, submitting briefs, organizing events with local practitioners, and preparing for spring BLAST trips.

Within the PI Scholars community, scholars had the opportunity to attend a small group lunch with faculty mentor Jonathan Simon and a joint mixer with the Berkeley Law Opportunity Scholars.

1L scholars Ben Regas and Renee Hernandez-Rodriguez celebrate National Pro Bono Week

1L scholar Anna Tropiano shares why she does pro bono

Scholar spotlight

Lande Watson '26 at the law school

Lande Watson

Over the summer, 2L Public Interest Scholar Lande Watson interned with the San Francisco Public Defender's Office. There, she wrote and argued motions to get multiple clients out of custody or off of home detention / ankle monitor, appeared on the record for a preliminary hearing, and assisted with two felony trials from start to finish. This semester, Lande is continuing her public defense work through an internship with the Alameda County Public Defender's Office in the Felony Law & Motions Unit, where she's writing and arguing motions in court, and as a co-leader of the Contra Costa Reentry Project SLP, where she's working with 1Ls to get clean slate relief for clients.

Pearls of wisdom

Melissa Torres-Montoya '11

Melissa Torres-Montoya, Berkeley Law '11, recently joined Health Career Connection as the Senior Director of Policy, Strategy and Stakeholder Engagement. There, she works to advance healthcare workforce development and diversity to meet the growing health professionals shortage in California.

Melissa has dedicated her career to furthering health equity as a reproductive justice advocate. Melissa served as a consultant to develop communication and policy plans for local and national reproductive justice and health nonprofits. She mobilized a national lawyers network to advance the reproductive justice movement and provide critical pro bono legal research. She also spearheaded a national community-informed policy agenda to further the needs of women living with HIV developed by holding eight listening sessions around the US.

Melissa Torres-Montoya, Berkeley Law '11

Melissa's pearls of wisdom about a public interest career:

I’ve taken my career one step at a time. In each stage, I’ve learned skills that I can apply to my next role and have felt motivated by ensuring that my roles have been values-driven. By doing this, I’ve found incredible colleagues who continue to inspire me to remain dedicated to health equity and reproductive justice. I believe finding colleagues who work collaboratively help keep burn out at bay so that we can continue to achieve a more just future.

Prospective scholars

Public Interest Scholars applicants must submit their complete Berkeley Law application by December 15 (for BED applicants, the deadline is November 15). Application review will begin in December, with initial offers made in February. The first round of scholarship acceptance deadlines will be April 1, 2025.

Please review and share our Public Interest Scholars flyer for more information.